Review: Assassin’s Honor by Monica Burns

Assassin’s Honor
by Monica Burns
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Available: June 1, 2010
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book received from: Penguin

Archeologist Emma Zale sees the past when she touches ancient relics. It’s how she uncovered evidence of an ancient order of assassins—the Sicari. When a sinfully dark stranger shows up on her Chicago doorstep demanding an ancient artifact she doesn’t have, he drags her into a world where telekinesis and empaths are the norm. Now someone wants her dead, and her only hope of survival is an assassin who’s every bit as dangerous to her body as he is to her heart.

Ares De Luca comes from an ancient Roman bloodline of telekinetic assassins. A Sicari, he’s honor bound to kill only in the name of justice. But when the woman he loved was murdered, Ares broke the Sicari code and used his sword for revenge. Love cost him dearly once before, and he’s not willing to pay the price again. At least not until hot, sweet, delectable Emma walked into his life. Not only does she hold the key to a valuable Sicari relic, she might just hold the key to his heart.

Archeologist Emma Zale is in big trouble.  While on a dig in Cairo, she has uncovered proof of an ancient order of assassins called the Sicari.  However this exciting revelation is overshadowed by the untimely murder of her mentor and she is the main suspect. Years before her archeologist parents were murdered in a similar manner while they searched for relics involving the Sicari.  Due to lack of solid evidence, Emma is released from jail and she heads back to the United States, her future as an archeologist on thin ice.  She retreats to her parents home where she finds a cryptic message from her father.

Ares De Luca is an assassin descended from an ancient Roman bloodline—The Sicari.  He is honor bound to kill only in the name of justice.  Although he is mortal, he processes certain gifts such as telekinesis.  He is in search of an ancient relic called the Tyet of Isis.  Unfortunately, he is not the only one that seeks this relic that holds much more than monetary value.  Believing that Emma has the Tyet of Isis, he shows up on her doorstep intending to take it from her.  He soon comes to realize that Emma does not have the relic however she processes a unique gift—the ability to see an objects history when she touches it.  That, coupled with the cryptic message from her father could be the key to finding the Tyet of Isis.  When an attempt is made on Emma’s life by a mysterious hooded man, Ares saves her life and takes her under his protection.

Assassin’s Honor is an exciting adventure into a world of paranormal mystery and suspense.  When Emma and Ares first meet the attraction is immediate but the danger that surrounds them as well mistrust and miscommunication keeps them from acting on their mutual attraction.  The sexual tension that builds between these two is exciting and delicious and when they finally come together, the wait is certainly worth it.

Ares is strong, sexy, honorable and dedicated to the order making him  a very desirable hero.  He resists his attraction to Emma because of a tragic romantic history, not wanting to make the same mistakes over again, however he finds himself compelled to protect and save Emma’s life time and time again.

Emma is also reluctant to act on her feelings for Ares.  She is just out of a relationship where she was betrayed. She is not wanting to be made a fool of and is half convinced Ares is only using her to find the Teyet of Isis.  After some very serious mistakes where she nearly gets herself killed and Ares selflessly saves her life and takes her punishment, she to finds him irresistible.

We get a fairly good feel for what the order of the Sicari is all about, but much room is left for further development of this world.  While the set up of the order of Sicari is interesting it was most certainly the romance that stood out for me in this book.  There are mysteries solved but the greater mystery is left unanswered leaving the door open for further exploration into the mysteries of the order of the Sicari Assassins.

I look forward to future books in the series.

Purchase a copy of Assassin’s Honor

Other books in the series:

Assassin’s Heart – September 2010

Assassin’s Honor on GoodReads

Visit Monica Burns at:

Website | Blog | Facebook | GoodReads

Be sure to stop by later today.  Monica Burns will be here with a  guest post on writing outside the box and taking risks in paranormal romance.  I’ll also be giving away two copies of Assassin’s Honor!